Wandering Off Hobbywise

It all Started After I Finished the C08 High Elf Collection

The mostly unpainted and unassembled Diehard Eru-Kin

As, I had finished off the high elves collection, I was thinking about what to focus on finishing next. Like most wargamers, I have a pile of Shame, Opportunity and other half finished projects. And I decided it was time to try and paint up my box of Diehard Eru-Kin. From Tim Prow's Kickstarter a couple of years ago (I really didn't think they had been waiting that long...) and provide my Slann army with its unit of Bull Slann. I have already painted up the Amazons and one Eru-Kin but the rest of the minis have sat waiting in the postage box. 

The beginnings of the Jungle display board. 

Yep I know it is missing quite a bit of jungle!

This led to a bit more thinking and wouldn't be great to have a small photography / display base for the Eru-Kin (at this point they are going to be called Slann, so I am going to stop flip flopping over names). And out came the stuff to start building a display base. 

And the beginnings of the Gangs of Rome display board. 

This led to a bit more thinking (I know it takes me a while these days), and if I was going to do one display base then I might as well do two. Since I already have large display bases for general woodland and city use. And with a new jungle one for the Slann then one for the Gangs of Rome would make a useful addition. 

The Gangs of Rome display board built. 

With a working door!

So, once I started the Gangs of Rome display base it sort of took over and then I started looking at accessories and the the Roman gangers. I have never been entirely happy with the grey colour scheme on the bases and decided they needed an update to a more brown/sand colour scheme. As well building the display bases, the painting some accessories, I then repainted the bases on the gangers. 

The questionable grey bases

That's much better.

All of the bases re-painted. Fortunately it is a slow burn project. 

So not that many done yet. 

And finally got round to painting* the wolves for my Paleo-hunt campaign, as they are needed for the next hunt. 

*Actually this is repainting as they have been painted at least two times for before. Once as hobhounds for the Bloodbath at Orcs drift scenarios and a second time as part of the wilde hunt for the Fae army. 

Rob 

Bits of Many Projects

No Clear Idea!

So when I sat down this afternoon for a quiet couple of hours. I couldn't quite focus on any one project, so ended spending a little bit of time of several different projects. I had a couple of things nearly finished and didn't have the mental focus to really paint anything too demanding. 

So in no particular order.

Finished off the classic Lord of Rings Easterling. He only really needed a few touch ups and the base doing. So not much to get him done. 

Another ganger for my very slow moving gangs of Rome project. I decided early on that these minis need to have a quick painting style and try to lean into a zenithal painting style . But then my airbrush broke and I haven't quite got restarted properly. Anyway I quite like the 'spotty' appearance of her tunic caused by the airbrush clogging. Which I think adds to scruffy her appearance. 

A Slann way marker which has been sitting on the paint desk since (Colours??) and I still have another two to do. And then one of two Slann might make it back onto the painting queue...

And finally started looking at the dwarves (that I also picked up at Colours??) which I was planning on using for another play through of Blood Bath at Orcs Drift. When I played it a few years ago it was very much with whatever minis I had to hand. And I would like use a few more appropriate minis. These are I think are old Harlequin (?) minis from owner who was selling them cheap.  Because he said he was shutting up shop and selling off all his old stock. 

Right time to sit down and get ready for next week. 

Rob 

Ribbet & Beer

Not Much Painting Going On!

Haven't had much time to get any painting done this week, but I did manage to get one of the new Crooked Dice giant frogs painted. 

And this week I am favouring quantity over quality. 😕

Rob 

Itzcoatl and Raiders of the Lost Tomb

Pre-Battle

After recovering from the shock of the unexpected underground melee, Itzcoatl had retired back to the relative safety of the camp. The goblins had not pursued the Slann past the entrance or ventured out the following night. But Itzcoatl needed the instructions on the wall of the temple in order to find the lost artifact his master had commanded he recover. 

So, he had decided to muster nearly all of his company to venture forth back into the temple complex. The marsh tribe Slann had found another deserted entrance and through this would go the majority of the force, led by the reliable Bull Slann commander Potzalcol.  Whilst he, Lyta and escort an attempted to return to the inscription in the pond chamber. 

Objectives & Rules

Lyta must reach the inscription and every turn, if not in combat may attempt to decipher it. In order to secure the temple, the four entrances must be sealed. When either of these two objectives is reached then the game is over. 

Lyta may finish her translation on a roll of 5+, the entrances are sealed by a Slann reaching entrance point and not being in combat. They effectively block the entrance with debris surrounding the entrance. 

The goblin reinforcements will be randomly generated at each of the entry points (D6-3)per turn. 

The Battle

The sortie started with Itzcoatl sending in his most expendable troops – the giant frogs and slaves into the temple.

With two goblin entry points near to the Slann starting point, Itzcoatl’s group had a battle right from the start and the slaves struggled to make any progress entering the temple. And Itzcoatl had ‘forgotten’ to use any of his spells, so it wasn’t until that Potzalcol led a party from the other side that any real progress was made. As for every one goblin taken out of the fight, another appeared.

At the other entrance the Slann had better luck, the goblins started further away and didn’t manage to roll as many reinforcements. Giving the Slann a chance to advance and block the goblin's exit from the ladder room. 

With the goblins from the ladder room blocked, the Slann were able to enter deeper into the temple and block the farthest entrance point and then come round to attack the goblins nearest Itzcoatl from the rear. 

ii-Phon and Potzalcol  were then able to use their superior fighting skills to push the goblins back to the second entrance point and block that from use. Lyta then saw a moment (by using Might) to block the third entry point before the goblins could reinforce it.  The remaining goblins retreated to the ladder room and battle was called to a halt. 

Obviously didn't end up at my starting objectives but the game had reached it natural conclusion with three of the four entry points blocked. And no real way for the goblins or Slann to finish the game without a very slow fight to get to the ladder room. 

After the Battle

Tol-Tec continued to have a great game and took down a further two goblins and as a result gained poisoned blades on the hero chart as well a point of Fate. While Potzalcol gains a point of Defence, ii-Phon gains Steady Aim and Lyta gains a point to her Attack. 

Rob 

Ready for the Next Battle

 A Couple of New Items

Managed to finish of a couple of pieces over the week ready for the next game. As Itzcoatl prepares to return to the underground temple, his scouts have found a second entrance. The 3D printed plants I picked at a show a few years ago. They are pretty basic but at 20p each I think they look good enough for the tabletop. 

Rob 

Itzcoatl's First Mission

Tactical Withdrawal

The Story So Far

Itzcoatl, apprentice of the mighty Tanqecl-Tlo'ectlutl pondered the Vorlon pictograms whilst his rune-scribe worked on the translation. After what seemed to be a long while of watching the Amazon standing silently in in front of the wall, he finally got bored and asked?

‘Have you worked out what it says yet??’

The Amazon looked up at the mage and with a puzzled expression.

‘Well, it either says – We are all Kosh? or directions to the temple, or both or possibly neither…’

The Slann stared at the human in that uncomfortable way, that the amphibian did with increasing frequency when dealing with humans. When suddenly a bark of alert echoed from one of the side passageways. The marsh hunters who had been sent to investigate whilst the rune wall was deciphered, burst back out of the side passageway followed by misshapen pale shades.

The Campaign

I am going to run the mini-campaign using MESBG (For now) using the campaign rules I used for the Shire campaign. I do need to work out some stats for the combatants but this will mainly consist of using existing profiles. 

As Izcoatl is the most important member of the expedition, the campaign is lost he if he is killed. 

The Setup

The Slann have been surprised  while inspected a small underground temple complex. Their only objective is to escape. Izcoatl is too surprised during this game to use any of his magic. 

The goblins were rolling 3 dice at the beginning of a turn and on a roll of 5+ (turns 1-3) and 4+ (turns 4+) received one goblin for each successful roll. 

The Battle

The goblins burst forth from the side corridors but for the only time in the game, the Slann won the initiative and were able to block some of the Goblin advances. This proved crucial in containing the goblins and several melees broke out as the marsh Slann attempted to hold back the goblins. 

ii-Phon the Marsh Slann leader holds back a goblin

While a pair of Marsh Slann hold back the others.

Meanwhile realising the importance of his mission above the rest of the team, Itzcoatl bravely rushes for the exit whilst the others hold off the goblins.

However, before reaching the exit more goblins arrive from a hidden entrance and block their escape. So, Lyta rushes to Izcoatl 's aid. Both slaves go into ChemFrenzy and take down their opponents but then succumb to the chemicals and are removed form play. 

Itzcoatl calls the retreat and the marsh Slann fall back, when everyone is in  range, Lyta makes a Heroic  Move and the Slann flee the scene. Tol-Tec (The red Slann) is taken out just as the others are ready to leave. 

The Aftermath

Neither Lyta or Itzcoatl recovered their lost Might or Fate. But Tol-Tec survived the battle unscathed. With could not be said of the two slaves who succumbed to their chem induced comas.

Rob 

Back to Friday Night Painting

 And Beer

Still have to write up the first battle report for my Slann mini-campaign. So, in the mean time I painted up one of the last two high elves and a few old photos. 

And its Friday night so on to the... 

Rob 

I Have a Great Idea

Start a New project and Not Finish Painting My High Elves 

With only two high elves left to paint to finish off the army, then surely that has got to the top priority?

Well, actually no, I got distracted by idea of doing a dungeon bash with the Slann. I really liked playing through the Escape from Goblin Town scenarios as a mini-campaign and thought wouldn't that be a good idea to do a Slann based mini-dungeon bash campaign. 

Since I have already the Escape from Goblin Town wooden boards and dungeon tiles from the Oakbound Calendar then I would only need to make a few more...

So, Itzcoatl, apprentice of the mighty Tanqecl-Tlo'ectlutl has been sent on a mission to recover some ancient artefacts from deep in the Lustrian jungle. After completing a few new dungeon tiles. 

First Game played with Itzcoatl attempting to escape from a sudden arrival of bunch of plague goblins. 

Anyway time to paint some high elves.... 

Rob